44. Miss Leeasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government by how many houses council house building has declined comparing 1953, 1954 and the current year; and by how many houses private building has increased in these same three periods.
§ Mr. SandysThe figures asked for are contained in the published Housing Returns.
Miss LeeCould not the Minister have given those figures? Is it not sometimes the custom to give figures, although they are in reports, as they are of great interest? May I also ask the right hon. Gentleman to study the figures, because they bear out the contention that people who have to rent houses are having an extremely raw and worsening deal from the Government?
§ Mr. SandysIn not reading out a series of figures from reports, I was following the practice well established by the right hon. Member for Ebbw Vale (Mr. Bevan).
§ Mr. MitchisonDo not those figures in fact show that during the first five months of this year there was a fall of 9,000 in the number of council houses built compared with last year? What explanation has the right hon. Gentleman, other than the weather, for that fact and for the fact that the number under construction is 40,000 fewer than it was last year? Is not the real reason that the right hon. Gentleman is cutting down allocations?
§ Mr. SandysIn the first five months of this year public authorities built 88,500 houses, which is substantially more than in any corresponding period under the Labour Government.